History, myth, reality, by wolfram wette the wehrmacht. This phenomenon has been commonly explained as the result of a new form of. Historians have had mixed opinions of the overall potency of the propaganda. History, myth, reality is a 2002 book by german historian wolfram wette which discusses the myth of the clean wehrmacht. There was its own eastern german version of it but since the western narrative is far more influential, ill focus on that. The wehrmacht was headed by the supreme high command okw, to which were subordinated the land. The german wehrmachts war against the soviet union differed from all other european wars of the modern era, including the campaigns waged by the wehrmacht against other countries during world war ii. About 300 polish prisoners of war were executed by the soldiers of the german 15th motorised infantry regiment in ciepielow on 9 september 1939. Wehrmacht officers and generals produced memoirs that followed the myth, which proved enormously popular. The original germanlanguage book was translated into five languages.
This book is a profound reexamination of the role of the german army, the wehrmacht, in world war ii. The inescapable truth is that hitlers wehrmacht was the outstanding fighting force of world war ii, one of the greatest in history. Blitzkrieg myth, reality, and hitlers lightning war. History, myth, reality, cambridge, mass harvard university press, 2006, isbn 97806740223. The myth of the clean wehrmacht is the fictitious notion that the regular german armed forces the wehrmacht were not involved in the holocaust or other war crimes during world war ii. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
Background in summer offensives of wehrmacht into soviet union, red army snipers proved to be a constant head ache for them. The wehrmacht existed from 1935 to 1945 and consisted of the unified armed forces of germany, including the heer army, kriegsmarine navy, and luftwaffe air force. History, myth, reality, wolfram wette, h i s t o r y, g u n t e r g r a s s has written, the history we germans have repeatedly mucked up over the course of the twentieth cen tury, is a clogged toilet. History, myth, reality wolfram wette, deborah lucas schneider this book is a profound reexamination of the role of the german army, the wehrmacht, in world war ii. Historian concludes racism in germany had deep roots sfgate. The wehrmacht, the name for all of germanys armed forces, not only became a highly effective instrument of hitlers desire for world domination but also an. Debunking the notion that the wehrmact was separate from nazi ideology and was not part of the war crimes that were committed in the soviet union. The activities of hiag, a german lobby group founded by former highranking waffenss officers in 1951, have shaped much of this portrayal. This was a war directed not only against another army, but against parts of the civilian population as well. Pdf the effectiveness of nazi propaganda during world war.
Wheelerbennett, john the nemesis of power the german army in politics 19181945, london. The wehrmacht consisted of the heer, the kriegsmarine and the luftwaffe the waffenss, an initially small armed section of heinrich himmlers allgemeine ss that grew to nearly a million strong during world war ii, was not part of the wehrmacht, but subject to its supreme command. The basis for the creation and development of the wehrmacht was the reichswehr, renamed wehrmacht after the introduction of universal compulsory military service on mar. It tells what the german soldier got up to during the war. It consisted of the heer, the kriegsmarine and the luftwaffe. Thus the army was portrayed both as immune to nazi ideological influences, and as a professional organisation preoccupied. The touring exhibition, organised by the hamburg institute for social research, eroded the myth for the german public in the 1990s. Only do this if these links relate to the wiki subject. This thesis open access is brought to you for free and open access by digital. Without this book to refer to, you wont be able you cant call yourself a reenactor.
This was a war directed not only against another army, but against parts of. Wehrmacht the name for the armed forces of fascist germany from 1935 to 1945. German military chaplains and the crimes of the third reich pages 1238 from in gods name. The wehrmacht wolfram wette harvard university press. The designation wehrmacht for nazi germanys military replaced the previously used term, reichswehr and constituted the third reichs efforts to rearm their nation to a greater extent than. Wehrmacht propaganda troops wikipedia republished wiki 2. Wolfram wette, a preeminent german military historian, explodes the myth of a. Oct 22, 2012 debunking the notion that the wehrmact was separate from nazi ideology and was not part of the war crimes that were committed in the soviet union. There are occasionally new historical details but these do not represent.
Wehrmacht simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. He takes on a study by dupuy were dupuy found that germans had a great superiority in fighting power. Please replace links to wikipedia in this article with links to this wiki. Users without a subscription are not able to see the full content. The german genius for war idea has rattled around military historiography for some time. The german title is accurate but it was poorly translated. Though the sixteenmillionmember german army is often portrayed as a victim of nazi mania, we come to see that from. The waffenss, the military branch of the paramilitary ss organisation of nazi germany, is often portrayed uncritically or admiringly in popular culture. However dramatic and spectacular his political career, concentration on hitlers character and personality in some respects bizarre, in others downright mediocre and wholly unpleasant can nevertheless do little to explain the magnetism of his popular appeal. History, myth, reality, wolfram wette, h i s t o r y, g u n t e r g r a s s has written, the history we germanshave repeatedly. Wehrmachtpropaganda, abbreviated as wpr was a branch of service of the wehrmacht and the waffenss of nazi germany during world war ii. His role was to assemble and supervise former wehrmacht officers to write a multivolume history of the eastern front. Gerhard gross believes this idea is built on a deeply flawed analysis of history, and he thinks the worst offenders are americans.
Feindbilder, vernichtungskrieg, legenden 2002 jay winter and antoine prost, the great war in history. Aug 04, 2017 the german genius for war idea has rattled around military historiography for some time. The clean wehrmacht myth was something that was advanced by both the westgerman and the western allied governments after the war within the context of the budding cold war. Wehrmacht article about wehrmacht by the free dictionary. The greatest sniper duel in history is a myth war is boring medium. University press of kentucky, lexington, kentucky, 2016, 464 pages. Wolfram wette the wehrmacht history, myth, reality. The myth and reality of german warfare operational thinking from moltke the elder to heusinger gerhard gross, edited by david zabecki. For many years after 1945, this seemed painful to concede. Some people interested in military history have perhaps kept in mind a picture of the german army during world war ii the wehrmacht as having been an army not essentially different from other belligerent armies, although, admittedly, it acted brutally and, sometimes, at the limit of what would have been deemed acceptable in times of war. The last battle, when gis and the wehrmacht fought the ss stephen harding. Wehrmacht world war ii wiki fandom powered by wikia.
Essential reading for military historians and strategists, this. The myth denies the culpability of the german military command in the planning and preparation of war crimes. It aims to debunk the legend of the wehrmacht s clean hands, a legend that exculpates the germany army from any misdeed during world war two, and in some versions, celebrates their ostensible valor. The questions in consideration are why nazi propaganda received so much support from the nazi leadership if it didnt work and whether or not it was a primary. The book builds on omer bartovs 1985 study the eastern front, 19411945. The making and breaking of the nazi economy clean wehrmacht. Its leaderspaul hausser, felix steiner and kurt meyerdirected a campaign to promote public. Pdf the effectiveness of nazi propaganda during world. May 15, 2002 this book is a profound reexamination of the role of the german army, the wehrmacht, in world war ii. Myth of the clean wehrmacht wikimili, the free encyclopedia.
Towards a global history of veteran privilege, australian journal of politics and history, 59. Jun 30, 2009 this book is a profound reexamination of the role of the german army, the wehrmacht, in world war ii. History, myth, reality is a translation of the original german text published by s. Jun 19, 2006 the wehrmacht, the name for all of germanys armed forces, not only became a highly effective instrument of hitlers desire for world domination but also an embodiment of his racist ideology. Genocide and religion in the twentieth century edited by omer bartov and. Until very recently, the standard story avowed that the ordinary german soldier in world war ii was a good soldier, distinct from hitlers rapacious ss troops, and not an accomplice to the massacres of civilians. Project muse the myth and reality of german warfare. Wartime administration, economy, and manpower resources, 19391941. Gross, a colonel in the bundeswehr, offers his book, the myth and reality of german warfare, as a corrective.
Wehrmacht was the name of the unified armed forces of nazi germany from 1935 to 1945. Wolfram wette, deborah lucas schneider translator 4. Martin crotty and mark edele, total war and entitlement. Even where the perpetration of war crimes and the waging of a war of extermination, particularly in. Myths in germanlanguage textbooks repositorium des georg. So if youre looking for a history of for example the campaigns of the wehrmacht, this book will disappoint you.
The luftwaffe actually had their own ground forces which included tank divisions. He oversaw the writings of 700 former german officers and disseminated the myth through his network. The wehrmacht, van creveld argues, developed fighting power to an almost awesome degree, and totally outclassed the american army on the battlefield. Until very recently, the standard story avowed that the ordinary german soldier in world war ii was. The wehrmacht history myth reality wolfram wette internet archive. Their wehrmacht was better than our army washington post. Debates and controversies, 1914 to the present cambridge. Dec 18, 2014 a year later martin van creveld made the most extreme case for the combat superiority of the wehrmacht with the publication of fighting power. The nemesis of power the german army in politics 1918. Buy the wehrmacht history, myth, reality by w wette isbn. The english title history, myth, reality is rather misleading since this book does not cover the military history of the wehrmacht but that of its purported antisemitism. For almost a decade after 1933, hitler enjoyed a remarkable degree of popularity among the great majority of the german people. Verfassung des deutschen reiches paulskirchenverfassung 1848. This myth of the wehrmacht as a haven from the regime was extended to include not merely the attitudes of the generals, but also the actions of the troops, that is the reality of the armys conduct in war and occupation.
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